un-Muted Mumblings of a Catholic father about NFP, politics, liturgy, Catholicism and whatever comes to my mind.
My main source for writing is Mass, the scripture readings and desire for authentic liturgy.

Friday, January 06, 2006

This is not a good sign - the situation in Darfur is worsening andhas, in recent weeks, become tied to events in neighboring Chad.

In December 2004, U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egelandwarned that 100,000 people could die a month if humanitarianorganizations are forced to suspend operations in Darfur.

In September 2005, Egeland warned "If (the violence) continues toescalate, we may not be able to sustain our operations for 2.5 millionpeople requiring life-saving assistance. In Darfur, it (aiddistribution) could all end tomorrow. It is as serious as that."

Now, the UN is pulling out all non-essential workers from parts ofDarfur because this is exactly what is happening:

The United Nations has scaled back its staffing in parts of Sudan'swar-torn western Darfur region following a buildup of forces along thecountry's border with Chad, U.N. officials said on Thursday.

Tensions have soared on both sides of the border in recent weeks afterChadian rebels based in Darfur, joined by Chadian army deserters,carried out several cross-border raids.

Several rebel groups last week said they were banding together totopple Chadian President Idriss Deby.

Deby accuses the Sudanese government in Khartoum of backing them andhas urged the United Nations to take over Darfur's administration.Khartoum denies any involvement.

The decision to restrict staffing "does not mean there will be anoverall evacuation," U.N. chief spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

"Essential life-saving humanitarian services delivered by the U.N.will continue, and the mission will monitor the situation and carryout a fresh security assessment of the area in the next two to threeweeks," Dujarric said.

The move was "due to the increased instability in the affected areas,including a buildup of forces on ether side of the Sudan-Chad border,with increased potential for armed conflict," he said.

The border tensions have further complicated a debilitating civil warthat has raged in Darfur since February 2003, pitting Sudanese rebelsagainst government forces.

Tens of thousands have been killed and 2 million have left their homesfor camps in Sudan and Chad to flee the fighting.

The area now hosts one of the world's largest humanitarian operations,with more than 11,000 aid workers struggling to feed, clothe andshelter inhabitants.

The Sudanese rebels began fighting to pressure the Arab-dominatedcentral government to respond to the needs of Darfur's villagers. U.N.officials say Khartoum then armed Arab militias to fight the rebels,and that the militias launched a campaign of rape, killing and lootingthat continues to this day.

While the U.N. Security Council has demanded an end to the militiaattacks, the government has yet to make real gains in doing so, U.N.Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported last month. The council meets onJan. 13 to discuss the situation.